14 DAY TRIAL // As the market release date of Windows Phone 7 approaches, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft is making more steps into ramping up the development of applications of the operating system, with that of mobile games included. The company is hiring more developers in the area, and a new job listing spotted on its website mentions the creation of a Mobile Gaming division of their Microsoft Games Studios.
“Microsoft Games Studios is establishing a new Studio – MGS Mobile Gaming – focused on bringing games and entertainment to the mobile life that people lead. [...] The Mobile Gaming team is building industry leading products that showcase our Windows Phone platform as well as emerging mobile platforms, and will help realize Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision. The Mobile Gaming studio will be the hub for MGS franchises and titles on mobile devices and a center of excellence for mobile games,” the job listing reads.
The company already made some steps towards enhancing the development of games for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system, and the new move shows clearly that it plans on having all things put in order for the official launch of the platform, set for the fourth quarter of the ongoing year. When it comes to MGS Mobile Gaming, the company plans on focusing on services for mobile gaming and entertainment titles, it seems. All in all, this can be seen only as great news for users, as they should benefit the most from Microsoft's efforts in the mobile area.
“MGS Mobile Gaming will support first party development, evangelize mobile gaming across MGS, and drive technical platform and service requests back to the parent organization and other business units in phone development. In addition, as the Center of Excellence for Mobile Games, the studio will develop showcase internal mobile games and entertainment experiences, while acting as the technical hub and spearhead for mobile game technology,” the said job listing continues.
In related news, we learn that Microsoft is also taking another approach to ramping up the building of apps for the upcoming platform, namely trying to attract developers from other platforms, such as the Apple iPhone, towards its OS. According to a recent article on pocketgamer.biz (via WMPoweruser), the company contacted iPhone developers in an attempt to determine them port their solutions to Windows Phone 7, though they might not be able to make the move as easily as it might seem, since the development of Windows Phone 7 apps is based on Silverlight and XNA Framework.